Local Rules of Practice

1.Settings. All cases, contested and uncontested, jury and non-jury, will be set for trial at the request of any counsel or party in the case. The cases will be set for trial in the order that such request for trial setting is filed with the Court Administrator at P. O. Drawer 3437, STINNETT, TEXAS, 79083-3437. Contact numbers in Stinnett are phone: (806) 878-4022 or fax (806) 878-3117. Contact numbers in Spearman are phone: (806) 659-4160 or fax (806) 659-4160.

All requests for setting must contain an estimate of the length of time required to conduct the trial or hearing with a copy of same sent to opposing counsel and the District Clerk of the county the case is filed in. If the setting is contained in an Order Setting Hearing, a letter should accompany said Order setting out the length of time required for hearing.

2. Jury Trials. All jury weeks begin on Monday unless Monday is a Court holiday. The jury will report at 9:00 a.m. All juries for the week will be selected on Monday. Counsel should be present in the courtroom at 8:30 a.m. for docket call and announcements unless the notice of setting by the Court Administrator advises otherwise.

The party requesting the setting of a case on the jury docket must certify that all discovery has been completed. If opposing counsel objects to the immediate setting of the case, he must notify the Court in writing, within 14 days of receipt of said request, setting out his objections to same in detail (e.g., if additional depositions are necessary, the names of those needing to be deposed, etc.). The original of said objections must be sent to the clerk of the county the suit is filed in, with a copy of same provided to the Court.

If no objections are received within 14 days, the case will be set for trial.

Suggested special issues are to be provided to the Court no less than one (1) week before trial. At the same time, each attorney will provide to the Court a brief summation of his case. Said summation is to be mailed, faxed, or emailed to the Judge and not filed with the Clerk.

3.Pre-Trial Hearing. No pre-trial hearings will be ordered in civil cases except in unusually complicated cases. Pre-trial hearing will be scheduled when counsel for one of the parties to the case shows cause and requests same. All motions, exceptions and other pre-trial matters, except motions in limine, filed in the cases must be called to the attention of the Court and set for hearing at least 14 days prior to the date of trial or same will have been waived.

Each criminal case set for jury trial shall have a mandatory pre-trial hearing no less than 14 days prior to trial.

The Court will allow conference calls on pre-trial matters when possible. All conference calls should be prearranged with the Court Administrator.

4.Domestic Cases. In all cases where support, either temporary or final, is an issue, financial information statements shall be filed before the temporary hearing, per 84th District Court Standing Order.

5.Motions for Continuance. All motions for continuance shall be made in writing and signed by the client, or shall contain a certification by counsel that a copy has been mailed to the client. The motion or request shall state, in detail, the reason for the delay. A motion for continuance will not be considered unless the foregoing has been complied with.

6.Lack of Prosecution. Family law actions and actions for liquidated monetary claims on file over 12 months and not tried and all other civil actions on file over 18 months and not tried are subject to being placed on the inactive docket and may be subject to dismissal for lack of prosecution pursuant to Rule 165, T.R.C.P.

7.Miscellaneous. Counsel should notify the Court immediately upon settlement of any case.

The central office of the 84th Judicial District is maintained in the Hutchinson County Courthouse in Stinnett. The Court Administrator can be reached either in the central office or in the Hansford County Courthouse in Spearman. One of these offices is staffed during normal working hours. All correspondence concerning cases on file in the District should be addressed to the Court at the following address: P. O. Drawer 3437, Stinnett, Texas 79083. The telephone and fax numbers for both offices are listed below.

My Court Administrator has full authority to make settings and can be reached at the address above.